Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey Mayor Sheila Peacock says riots "best thing that's happened in Tottenham for a while".
Interviewed for a video, Haringey Mayor, Cllr Sheila Peacock is shown saying that:
"The second riots that we’ve just had was the best thing that’s happened in Tottenham for a while. My reason for saying that is, all of a sudden, the Government is now starting to pump money into Tottenham. Because Tottenham - Haringey is an outer London Borough so we don't get as much money as Islington or Hackney. And we've been struggling for years."
"— Cllr Sheila Peacock, http://bit.ly/11R2JxI
Tags for Forum Posts: Cllr Sheila Peacock, Haringey, Sheila Peacock, Tottenham, gaffe, riot
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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That'll be a great comfort to the people who were burned out of house and home and to the owners of small businesses that will never come back.
Peacock should make a very public apology for this disgraceful statement.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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I've urged her to apologise publicly. Sheila said the quote was completely out of context & that she has nothing to apologise for.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Pack on
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Looks like she's now changed her mind and has apologised: http://www.lbc.co.uk/haringey-mayor-criticised-for-riot-comments-76911
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A fauxpology, Mark.
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Except that perhaps it was Haringey's Koberganda team who put out this statement.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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I'm not convinced by apologists' claims that the quote was taken out of context.
First, in the next sentence, we all heard the "reasons" for saying that. Second, the only context that might justify the remarks are, "now I'm going to say something that sounds crass ..."
It surprises me that a councilor who lives in and represents a community that suffered so much from the riots, including arson, could say that in any context.The substantive point is, where did all the money go – tens of millions of pounds?
The Standard have covered the story here, yesterday.
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Where did the money go?
For people who are new to Clive's obsessions, this one is his version of the Monty Python sketch: What have the Romans ever done for us?
Although it's true that not every past regeneration project has a public sign on it.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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The Monty Python sketch pokes fun at ultra-left groups who refuse to consider evidence from different sides of an argument. Instead repeating the same slogans.
But they're not alone, are they?
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Permalink Reply by Philip on
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Very True, but they also betray their own class background, ie the belief that the Romans really did benefit people. The Roman Empire was not a charity, it existed to enrich Romans. All empires are built to exploit. There is still the myth around that the British Empire 'civilised' the world instead of being an absolute cancer wherever it took root........
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Those residents who had businesses ruined and livelihoods lost, may not share such a sanguine view of the riots. I was surprised that Sheila said this.
In referring to the "second [Tottenham] riots" these comments are perhaps consciously reminiscent of Bernie Grant's notorious remarks about the police, after Broadwater Farm.
I doubt the Mayor first checked the comments with the Council Communications Department (i.e. PR).
When Sheila says that "all of a sudden the Government is now starting to pump money into Tottenham", she is perhaps casting an aspersion on the (generally, free-spending) previous government's regard for Tottenham, while acknowledging the more recent contribution by the current (Coalition) government.
Which may be true, but it's unlikely to go down well with her colleagues. It also may be true that Tottenham's been struggling for years.
However, that Haringey is classed as an outer London Borough, after 40 years, is surely not the only long-term governance or administrative difficulty faced by Tottenham.
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